Fill box



F. F. RIKE Dec. 12, 1939.

FILL BOX Filed oct. 4, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l WN Nm, Mm.

INvEN-l'oa FREDEQnQ P. 'venne ATTORNEYS F. F. RIKE 2,183,282

FILL BOX Filed Oct. 4, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTorz FEEDEvmcK FUE! 5 ATTORN CYS Patented Dec. 12, 1939 Y, l

UNITED STATES PA'TEN'rM-orrlcr;

. FILL BOX Frederick FL Rike, Dayton, Ohio, assigner to Buckeye Iron & Brass Works, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application october 4, 1937, serial No. 167,155 s claims. (ci. 22o-51) This invention relates to fill boxes and, in parthe tendency of the screw threads to seize or bind ticular, to ll boxes of the flush type. under the influence of vapor inside the ill box It is an object of this invention to provide a and weathering outside the ll box, it was often ll box construction comprising a body member necessary, in order to remove the lid member '5 adapted for rigid connection to a fuel oil storage from the body member of the fill box, to lubricate 5' tank or the like and a lid member so associated the screw threads thereof, which in many CaSeS therewith as to be readily removable therefrom caused extensive damage to washer members disfor nlling the oil storage tank or the like through nosed between the lid member and its seat upon e the ll cap. 4 the body member of the fill box. y 10 It is a further object of this invention to pro- By the use 0f the COnStrllCtiOn aCCOrdng t0 10 vide such a, nl] box construction which is ex.. the principles of this invention, the above `disadtremely strong, fool-proof and efficient in oper vantages of the above structures are totally onation and wherein the attachment to and detaehviated, es I have, by utilizing the principles f my ment from the body member of the nu cap may be invention, provided a llbex structure, wherein Y. I accomplished with the greatest ease and facility. the lid member, When in Closed pOSltOn, iS firmly l5 It is a further object of this invention to proresilientlv held in engagement with the body vide such a construction wherein the lid member member 0f the, llll bex lll Suell manner that lt iS is resiliently and securely engaged, by resilient impossible that accidental removal, or loosening means carried thereby, with the body member of thereof, Should 0001112 At tlle Same time, by the I2Q the fill box construction in order to provide o, use of a suitable wrench member, the lid member 20 liquid and gas-proof seal therebetween. may be released and removed from the body It is a further object of this invention to promember by simply Dressing the Wrench member vide such a structure wherein accidental removal downwardly t0 effeet the release, and tWlStlng Or of the lid member from the body member is torotating the wrench through a small arc as, for tally prevented, burl wherein, by the use of soir-, instance, a quarter turn in order to lock the lid 25 able wrench means, the lid may be readily, and eenstruetien'lll I'eleaSed 19081131011.

with great facility, removed from the body mem- When the wrench is in such position as to lock ber to provide access to the tank or the like to the lid Construction in IeleaSeCl DOStlOIL the which the body member is Securedl wrench is, in eiect, a part of the lid construc- 430 These and other objeei-,S and advantages will tion because it is rigidly secured thereto and, by 30 appear from the following description taken in raising the Wrench member, the lid construction connection with the drawinge may be moved upwardly out of the body member In the drawings: without necessity for any manual contact there- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a fill box con- With 135 struction according to the prinoipies of this m To close the fill box, it is merely necessary that 35 vention; the Wrench member be engaged and moved to Figure 2 is a Section baken substantially on the replace the lid member upon its seat ln the body line 2--2 of Figure 1; member of the fill box and then rotate the wrench Figure 3 is a, View similarto Figure 2J but ShoW member a quarter turn with respect to the lid iii) ing the lid structure in released position and th member in Order to unlock the lid Construction 40 wrench member in plaee thereon; from released position and permit it automati- Figure 4 is a view Simiiar to Figure 3, but Show cally to return to locked position with respect to ingthe body member in section and the lid structhe body member- A ture in elevation; e Referring to the drawings in detail, the illus- Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of trative body member of the fill box is designated 45 Figure 4; and e I and is provided at its lower end with suitable Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional SCI'eW threads 2, by means 0f Wlflieh it may be view illustrative of amoded lid and seat strucattached t0 Suitable means en Oil Storage AtanksV ture. and the like in known manner. The body memn Formerly, in the construction of i'lll boxes, it ber l is provided at its upper end with an annu- 50 has been customary to screw-threadedly attach lar Seat 3, Which iS adapted 'G0 SUPDOrt Washer the lid member to the body member of the fill means 4' associated with the lid member, hereinbox. This necessitated the expenditure of a subafter more clearly deSerbedstantial amount of labor and time in opening Intermediate its ends, 'the body member l iS Aand closing ll boxes; 'andifurthermora "due -to Aprovided Withaninternal annular-groove hav- 55 l therein by means of ing at its upper end the substantially horizontally disposed annular shoulder 6, which is adapted to be engaged, as hereinafter more clearly described, by means for retaining the lid or cap member in firm engagement with the body member I.

The lid member is generally designated 'I and, as shown, is circular. The lid member comprises a substantially flat plate having a central annular boss 8 extending downwardly from the under side thereof, and which boss has a plurality of rigid webs 9 extending radially outwardly therefrom.

A plurality of radially spaced bosses ID also eX- tends downwardly from the lower side of the plate portion of the lid member 1 and are each provided with suitable screw-threaded bores for receiving the screw-threaded end of the respective thrust member supporting bolts, or supporting bolts, II.

'I'he central boss 8 is provided at its lower end with a bore I2 which is joined by an inclined annular surface with a smaller or restricted bore |3. The lower bore I2 forms a stui'lingbo-x adapted to receive suitable stuing which is compressed the gland member I5. 'Ihe gland member I5 is provided with a central bore which is aligned with, and of the same size as the bore I3 in the boss 8, and the thrust pin member I6 extends through and is slidable in these bores. The thrust pin is provided at its lower end with a head member I7 which is adapted to serve a purpose which will hereinafter more clearly appear.

Above the bore I3, the boss 8 is provided with an enlarged bore I8 which communicates with the bore I3 and which communicates through the elongated slot I9 with the upper surface of the plate portion of the lid member l. Each web 9 is provided adjacent its lower and outer end with a pin 20 which pivotally supports the upper end of a locking member 2|. 'Ihe lower end of each locking member 2| is provided on its upper side with a straight surface 22 adapted to engage the shoulder 6 in the valve body I, as shown in Figure 2. The under surface of the lower end of each locking member 2| is provided with an arcuate surface 23 which is adapted to engage a suitable cam surface on thrust means hereinafter more clearly described.

The thrust means comprises the plate-like member 24 having a central arcuate upwardly directed surface 25 adapted to be engaged by the head member or portion I 'I of the thrust pin member I6. Surrounding the arcuate surface 25 is an annular step or abutment 26 which is adapted to support the lower end of the compression spring 2`| which has the upper end thereof engaged with the lower end of the gland member I5. The gland member I5 is thus constantly resiliently thrust upwardly against the packing 28 in the bore I2 in such manner as to maintain a proper seal between the thrust pin member I5 and the boss 8. The plate-like member 24 is provided with a plurality of brackets or hangers 29 which extend upwardly therefrom and which are each provided at their upper end with a substantially horizontal portion 3|) provided with a suitable bore adapted to slidably receive a supporting bolt |I.

Between each horizontal portion 30 and the downwardly disposed head of the corresponding supporting bolt is a compression spring 3| which normally urges the bracket or hanger members 29 and the integral plate-like member 24 upwardly with respect to the supporting bolts I I and the lid member 1, to which they are rigidly secured. 'Ihe plate-like member 24 is also provided with a plurality of cam members 32. Each cam member 33 has an inclined outer surface which is adapted for engagement with the arcuate surface 23 on a locking member 2|, and the cooperation of these surfaces causes upward movement of the thrust member 24 with respect to the lid member I to be translated into outward swinging movement of the locking members 2| for engagement of the surfaces 22 thereof with the shoulders 6 of the groove 5, as shown in Figure 2.

As is shown in Figure 2, the compressive force of the springs 3|, which is transmitted through the brackets or hangers 29 to the thrust member 24 causes the swinging locking members 2| to be normally urged outwardly into engagement with the shoulder 6 of the groove 5 in the body member I. By this means, the lid member I is normally resiliently urged into rm engagement with the seat 3 of the body member I. The washer member 4 is preferably retained or carried by the lid member and for this purpose the annular retaining flange 34 is provided on the under surface of the plate portion of the lid member 'I.

The locked or closed position of the ll box is illustrated in Figure 2, and it will be seen that, in that position, the upper end of the thrust pin I6 extends upwardly and into the enlarged bore I8 for a substantial distance. The compression of springs 3| urges the thrust member 24 and lid member 1 toward one another and also urges the locking members 2| outwardly, so that the surfaces 22 thereof engage the shoulders 6 of the groove 5.

If it is desired to unlock the lill box, it is merely necessary to insert the head of the wrench member 35, which is of the same shape as the slot I9, into the slot I9 and thrust downwardly upon the wrench member35 to place the thrust pin member I6 in the position shown in Figure 3. It will then be possible to twist or turn the wrench member 35 in such manner that the end flanges of the head portion thereof engage the upper surfaces of the enlarged bore |8 below the bore I9, as shown in Figure 3. In that position, the thrust pin member I6 is retained in lowermost position by the head portion of the wrench member 35 and the inclined surfaces 33 of the cam members 32, having been moved downwardly, permit the locking members 2| to swing downwardly and inwardly in such manner that the outermost ends thereof will clear the walls of the body member I upon upward movement of the wrench member 35 with the rigidly attached lid member 'Ihe lid member 'I may then be readily removed from the body member I to open the fill box.

When it is desired to close the fill box, the lid member 'I is replaced in the body member in the position illustrated in Figure 3, and the wrench member 35 is then turned or rotated in either direction to align the head portion thereof with the slot I9 in such manner that the compressive force of springs 3| exerted upwardly upon the thrust pin member I6 will force the wrench member 35 upwardly and outwardly, and the thrust pin member |6 will take the position illustrated in Figure 2. In that position, the ll box is closed.

It will be understood that the above described structure is merely illustrative of the manner in which the principles of my invention may be utilized and that I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as come within the scope of the claims and the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a fill box, a stationary body member with a groove therein and having a seat, a removable lid member on said seat, swingable locking members on said lid member, a thrust member on said lid member and resiliently urged thereagainst, cam means on said thrust member adapted to swing said locking members outwardly to lockingly engage said groove, and slidable pin means on said lid member engaging said thrust member and manually operable to urge said thrust member away from said lid member and disen gage said cam means from said locking members.

2. In a ll box construction, a lid member having a thrust member supported thereby, and resiliently urged thereto, a manually slidable pin member adapted to urge said thrust member away from said lid member, a packing box surrounding said pin, gland means slidable with respect to said pin member and said packing box, and means between said thrust member and said gland means for urging said gland means into said packing box.

3. In a iill box lid construction, a lid member having a thrust member resiliently supported thereby and urged thereagainst, a manually slidable releasing pin adapted to urge said thrust member away from said lid member, a packing box surrounding said releasing pin, and gland means slidable with respect to said pin and said packing box, said gland means being disposed between said lid member and said thrust member and being resiliently urged toward said packing box to form a tight seal between said releasing pin and said lid member.

4. In a ll box construction, a body member having a retaining groove and a lid supporting seat, a lid member on said seat and having expansible locking members, a thrust member supported'by said lid member and resiliently urged thereto, said thrust member having cam means for expanding said lockingmembers against said retaining groove, a pin member adapted to urge said thrust member away from said lid member to release said cam means from said locking members, a packing box surrounding said pin, and gland means between said lid member and said thrust member and slidable with respect to said pin and packing box, said gland means being resiliently urged toward said packing box.

5. In a ll box construction, a body member having a lid supporting seat and retaining groove means, lid means on said seat having members expansible to engage said retaining groove means, means supported by said lid means and normally resiliently urged thereagainst for expanding said groove engaging members, pin means slidable in said lid member for releasing said last-named means, socket means in said lid member providing access to said pin means, and wrench means manually engageable with said socket means for moving said pin means to releasing position for removal of said lid means from said lid supporting seat.

6. In a fill box construction, a body member having a. lid supporting seat and retaining groove means, lid means on said seat having locking members movable outwardly to engage said retaining groove means, thrust means supported by said lid means and normally resiliently urged thereagainst for moving said locking members outwardly to engage said retaining groove means, releasing pin means movable in said lid member for moving said thrust means away from said lid means to release said locking members iro-m said retaining groove means, aperture means in said vlid member providing access to said pin means,

and wrench means manually engageable with said aperture means for moving and locking said pin means in releasing position for removal of said lid means from said lid supporting seat. FREDERICK F. RIKE. 

